Hmmm, that’s certainly possible. She was definitely aware of her feelings by that time, and while the situation was too serious for her to actually say something, it also offered the opportunity to be close with Juls and give her affection without it being taken for anything more.
Though, I do think Val is the type who’d use that with friends, the way some people use “babe” with just significant others and others for friends. Val is so affectionate and open with everyone, I absolutely think she’d use it casually (which makes it all the worse when Nayeli took that totally platonic affection and put a sordid slant on it when outing her). It’s probably a mix, her own impulse to comfort any person in need, and that it’s Juls making the urge all the stronger.
(2/2)The way they build their characters, each of their interaction, their respect, support and worries for each other, their conversations are so well-thought and so many small details I love. I could feel their love for each other. Their journey is so epic I don’t think I’ve seen it on any shows. And lastly, thanks for all the beautiful gifs you made!
Awesome! I’m glad it’s still helpful.
Awww, yeah, it does so many little things so well. I remember how much we discussed why we fell so hard for it, what worked and why, and in the time since, we’ve had some more great ships and been able to add them as sample points, but it’s really crazy how this one telenovela ship took us so much by storm. It just offered us so much them, we got to see their story and their feelings and fears and hopes and dreams. It doesn’t hurt that they were flat out gorgeous and had ridiculous chemistry that made the relationship seem natural, but I will always advocate for more screentime and more focus and more centering on f/f stories.
Do you mean just episodes where they interact, or also episodes where, for example, Juls reads up on Val in a magazine or they’re talking to other people about each other?
Anon, I just saw this in my drafts, from some weeks back. Do you still want that list, given the official cut?
She is! We’re getting more f/f characters now and more types of f/f characters, but Juls actually does fall into a lot of the older f/f archetypes for “good characters”, teen character starting to discover their sexuality, kind of serious and not super into guys, crushing on her friend, a little messy but mostly morally impeccable, and now that I think about it, perhaps that because this is the Mexican version of that introductory character. Once US rep graduated past psycho lesbian evil bi femme fatale types, they went with very sympathetic, relateable types on purpose, where the audience would be predisposed to like them.
And Juls is all that, but she embodies her personality so completely, with so many layers, responsible and older than her years, her mother’s confidante, but still kind of a brat with Panchito and Milagros, insecure in some ways, confident and experienced in others. I fell in love when her way of breaking the ice with/distract Val was by pretending to mug her. What a doofus. She’s just a person, and I love her.
I’ve seen people wonder the same thing, “if they want to reach an international audience, maybe they should add subtitles?” and people have conjectured that some of Barb’s tweets may imply they’ll add them. At worst, about 95% is already subbed by fans, so they might do the additional scenes and then redo the timing and editing for these versions.
Hmm, I do think that’s a part of it in the sense that this all is happening while Val is not fully in control. Except for when Val tried to give her the pill, Juls has been exasperatedly patient with her, humoring her little games. When she’s pulled up to dance, she’s still smiling, it’s only at the closeness that can’t mean anything because Val is high and just being playful that there’s more…pathos?
And another anon:
i think with val she was so drunk at that party that she was just going with her gut and even in the way she’d gushed over juls up until then had seemed really instinctive and kinda not self aware. whereas with juls in the zipper scene and the way she’d slept next to val there is like the RESTRAINT.. the gay woman’s restraint… u know what i mean boocita (sorry yes its me), and Juls is just way more lucid throughout the whole party scene
Omg. YOU. Still hate the name, but wow, we’ve been together for so long. :’)
No, for sure, we’ve always compared how impulsive and instinctive Val is while Juls turns inward and is so watchful and careful, by necessity, so it’d make sense that even when Val isn’t under the influence, Juls is more aware of her feelings. The gay woman’s restraint all right. Though even Val the next day can’t help but realize the implications.
And another anon:
I always thought Juls became aware of her feelings when dancing in the park and Val wasn’t aware until the Party/dress shopping. (I think they had feelings long prior but just didn’t recognize them.)
I love that there can be so many of these theories that don’t necessarily contradict each other, because obviously it is a long process of realizations and questioning yourself. “Is it because she’s so pretty? My first pretty female friend? I want to be like her? I look up to her?” We’ve all gone through that.
When I was rewatching the park dancing scene earlier today, even before the deleted scene, you had Juls clearing her throat and having trouble speaking and meeting Val’s gaze, like, she’d have to know something was up. Whether it was the catalyst to full realization or just the start of some intense self-questioning, obviously we’ll never know (unless the writers weigh in), but we can theorize!
Ah, this kind of ask takes me back! I think the “when do you think they knew about their feelings” category of ask was second only to the top/bottom discourse. 😛
But, hmm. Did we not think there was already realization on both fronts the night of the party? Val did almost kiss her that night. What did the zipper scene convey that, say, Juls turning her head away when Val tried to dance with her earlier didn’t?
